Tone modifier and muffler for piano

ABSTRACT

An attachment for a grand piano has a flexible strip secured on a shaft which is mountable rotatably underneath the strings of the piano. The strip and shaft can be turned by a linkage means terminating in a control knob at the front of the piano. In one position of the strip it is interposed between the hammers and strings to modify the tone of the piano and in a second position it is out of the way of the hammers. The tone can be modified to sound like a harpsichord or it can be muffled completely depending on the material of the strip.

[ 1 Feb. 8, 1972 I54] TONE MODIFIER AND MUFFLER FOR PIANO {72] lnventor:John W. Glgllo, 7419 Fifth Ave., North Bergen, NJ. 07047 {22] Filed:Feb. 6, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 9,350

3/1958 Goodman ..84/216 3/1961 Rothmanetal. ..84/2l6 PrimaryExaminer-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-Lawrence R. FranklinAttorney-Polachek & Saulsbury [57] ABSTRACT An attachment for a grandpiano has a flexible strip secured on a shaft which is mountablerotatably underneath the strings of the piano. The strip and shaft canbe turned by a linkage means terminating in a control knob at the frontof the piano. In one position of the strip it is interposed between thehammers and .strings to modify the tone of the piano and in a secondposition it is out of the way of the hammers. The tone can be modifiedto sound like a harpsichord or it can be muffled completely depending onthe material of the strip.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIED rag 0 m2 3640.171

SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR. 46 JOHN W GIGLIO ATTURNE Y5 PATENIED FEB emz sum21 0F 2 INVENTOR. BY JOHN w GIGLIO 9 37? ATTORNE 5 TONE MODIFIER ANDMUFFLER FOR PIANO This invention concerns an attachment or adapter for apiarm, which produces a modified tone effect so that the piano soundslike a harpsichord. The attachment can be adapted to serve as a mufflerso that the keys can be played silently for practice purposes.

Heretofore, the standard ways of modifying the tone of a grand pianosubject to instant control of the player have involved operation of thepedals. The left or damper pedal serves to shift the piano action sothat the hammers strike onlyone string of two-string notes and only twostrings of threestring notes. This results in a softer tone. Operationof the center pedal lifts a damper from a single string or group of twoor three strings of a single note so that the tone of the one note issustained. Operation of the right or loud pedal serves to lift thedampers from all strings for sustaining all tones. It has not beenpossible heretofore to modify the tones of all strings in other ways byany pedal action. Many proposals for modifying the tone of a piano tosound like a harpsichord for example have proven unsatisfactory due totheir complexity or because they involve introduction of paper or otherarticles into the piano. Prior arrangements do not permit instant andcontrollable change between the resonant normal piano-forte sound andthe sharp harpsichord sound.

The present invention provides a knob-controlled adapter which willinterpose pads between the hammers and strings of a piano to produce aharpsichord effect by restricting or preventing prolonged stringvibration. The adapter can be arranged to affect treble and base partsof the keyboard separately and independently. The adapter can also beconstructed to serve as a complete silencer or mufiler of the sound ofthe piano while the keys are played for practice purposes. Thus thepiano can be played in the normal way by striking the keys with fullforce without producing any resultant sound.

The invention will be explained in further detail in connection with thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grand piano embodying the invention,parts being broken away to show portions of the adapter.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 22 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical elevational view, with parts omitted, taken on line3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3, andillustrating the mode of operation of the adapter.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view with parts omitted of the adaptershown in FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to a part of FIG. 2 showing anadapter which serves as a tone silencer.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view with parts broken away of the adapter ofFIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another adapter which serves as asilencer, parts being broken away.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a grand piano l0.Dampers l2 overlay bass strings 14 and which extend under front board16. Underneath the strings are hammers 18 which are driven upward whenkeys 19 at the keyboard forwardly of front board 16 are manually playedor struck. Dampers 12 are lifted by rods 20 when the keys are played orwhen one of sustaining pedals 22 or 23 are operated. To the extentdescribed, the piano structure is entirely conventional.

Now according to the invention, there is provided an adapter 25 havingtwo sections 25a and 25b shown to best advantage in FIGS. 2 to 5 towhich reference is now made. The sections are similar to each other inconstruction. The sections have respectively a shaft 26 or 26 extendingthrough rolled edge 27 of a metal strip 28 or 28'. The strip is securedto the shaft to rotate with the shaft. The strip has a multiplicity ofcutouts 30 defining flexible, tapered fingers 32 therebetween. Onnarrower ends 33 of the flexible, tapered fingers are secured narrowU-shaped clips 34. Secured to undersides of the clips are felt pads 36.Attached to one end of each shaft 26, 26 by a screw 37 is a lever 38 or38'. A link 40 or 40 is pivotally secured to the lever. The link isengagedin a slot42 and is held by pivot pin 44; see FIG. 5. A coilspring 46 or 46 has upper hooked end 47 engaged on a pin 50 extendinglaterally from lever 38 or 38'. The lower hooked end 49 of the spring isengaged by a bolt 52 or 52' located on left sidewall 54 or rightsidewall 54' of the piano case; see FIG. 3. A knob 56 or 56' is mountedon the forward end of link 40 or 40'. The link extends forwardly througha hole in front board 16. Knob 56 or 56' is located at the front board16 and can be pulled forwardly. Hinges 60 have eyes 62 through whichshaft 26 or 26 rotatably extends. Collars 63 located in cutouts 64 ofstrips 28 or 28' hold the hinges in place. The hinges are secured byscrews 65, to brackets 66 inserted and secured between stationary damperbar 68 and crossbar 69 in the piano; see FIG. 2.

Stop pins -72 and 74 are mounted forwardly and rearwardly of levers 38and 38' on walls54, 54; Rear pins 74 stop rearward movement of thelevers so that the fingers 32 interposed between the strings l4 andhammers 18 in the solid-line position of the adapter sections shown inFIGS. 2 and 4. Front pins 72 stop forward movement of the levers asshown in the dotted-line position shown in FIGS. 4. Each adapter sectionis turned counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 4 by pulling out its knob 56or 56. The the fingers 32 will extend downwardly clear of the hammers18. Springs 46 and 46' exert downward tension in both solid-line anddotted-line positions shown in FIG. 4. The upper ends of the springs arecarried over the axes of shafts 26 or 26' when the knobs are pulledforwardly from front wall 16. By the arrangement described either one orboth adapter sections 25a, 25b can be activated by interposing thefingers between the strings and hammers or can be deactivated by turningstrips 28, 28' so that fingers 32 turn down out of the way of hammers18.

Adapter section 25a is disposed at the left or bass end of the pianoaction to the left of partition 75. Adapter section 25b is disposed tothe right of partition 75 to include the middle and treble parts of thepiano action. Adapter section 25a is on a slightly higher level thansection 2512 because the bass strings 14 are slightly higher than treblestrings 14. When the adapter sections 25a or 25b or both are turned upor clockwise as viewed in FIG. 4, a harpsichord effect will be producedsince the metal or plastic fingers 32 of strip 28 or 28';will strike theundersides of the strings when the hammers strike felt pads 36. Wheneither or both adapter sections are turned forwardly or counterclockwiseas indicated by arrows A, B in FIG. 4, the harpsichord effect will bestopped and the piano will have its normal tone.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show another adapter section 25' which can be employed inplace of adapter section 25b of FIG. 5. Corresponding parts areidentically numbered. This section has a felt strip 28' replacing themetal or plastic strip 26' of adapter section 25b and secured byrolled'edge 27' on shaft 26'. A similar felt strip can be employed toreplace metal or plastic strip 26 on shaft 26 of adapter section 250. Itwill be apparent that when the adapter section 25' is turned tooperating position as shown in FIG. 6, the felt strip will be interposedbetween hammers l8 and treble strings 14'. This will prevent vibrationsof the strings so that no tone will be produced when the keys 19 of thepiano are played. Another similar adapter section'may be provided tomuffle tones of bass strings 14.

When the felt strip is turned down by pulling out knob 56 or 56' shownin FIGS. 1 and 4, then the felt strip will be turned down away from thehammers 18. When the felt strip is turned up, the piano can be used. forsilent practice, since playing keysl9 will produce no sound.

FIG. 7 shows another adapter 25' which can be used to replace both'adapter sections 25a-and 25b. This adapter has a shaft 26a made with twosteps 80, 81 so that a left-end portion of the shaft is offset higherthan the right-endportion. Since, in conventional grand pianos, the longstrings to the left of partition 75 are on a slightly higher horizontalplane than the shorter middle and treble strings to the right ofpartition 75,

the arrangement of FIG. 7 permits felt strips 28a and 28b replace bothmetal or plastic strips 28 and 28' respectively. Thus only a singleshaft 26a is required for turning both strips. Thus only a single lever38, a single link 40 and a single knob 56 is required to operate theentire silencer.

It will be apparent that the flexible metal or plastic strips 28,28 ofadapter sections 24a and 25b can be mounted on shaft 26a, so that theentire adapter assembly can be operated by the single link 40 and knob56 shown in PK]. 4. By employing independent adapter sections 25a, 25b,the player has the option of modifying the tones of only the bass notesor only treble notes or both. By employing an adapter in which the feltstrips or metal strips are mounted on a common shaft, the tones of theentire range of notes are modified.

The adapters or attachments described can be installed in anyconventional grand piano without material alteration. They will satisfylong standing needs for devices which will controllably modify the tonesof a piano to reduce or muffle them completely or to change them tosound like a harpsichord. In both instances, the desired effect isproduced by interposing a flexible member between the hammers andstrings of the piano.

What is claimed is:

1. An attachment for modifying the tones of a grand piano, comprising: ashaft; bracket means for rotatably mounted said shaft in a horizontalposition under the strings of a piano; a flexible strip secured on saidshaft to rotate with the shaft; linkage means operatively connected tosaid shaft to rotate said strip between an upper position and a lowerposition, said strip living disposed between the hammers and strings ofthe piano in said upper position for modifying the tone of the pi ano.and being disposed out of the path of movement of the hammers in saidlower position so that the piano has its normal resonant tone; saidlinkage means comprising a link extending forwardly through a front wallof the piano and terminating above the keys of the piano, and a handleon the end of the link at its forward end such that a player of thepiano can move said link forwardly and rearwardly axially forselectively disposing said strip in either one of the lower and upperpositions respectively; said strip being formed of a flexible materialhaving cutouts defining individual flexible fingers which are disposedadjacent to the strings respectively when said strip is in the upperposition such that the tone produced by the striking of any one hammeragainst any one string is modified due to the interposition of one ofsaid fingers therebetween; each finger having a free end and carrying onsaid free end a rigid clip having a felt member on its undersidedisposed to be struck by a hammer while the clip is striking the stringas a result of he hammer striking action, such that the modified tonesounds like that of a harpsichord; and in which said linkage meansincludes additionally a lever fixedly attached to said shaft andpivotably attached to'said link at about the levers distal end; saidattachment further including a spring attached at one end of the springto an attaching means at a point about adjacent the pivoting end of saidlever, and attached at an opposite spring end of a fixed structure ofsaid piano at a spring anchor point located along an imaginary axisextending transversely through said shaft from a position of said distalend when intermediate between lever positions for said upper positionand said lower position, said anchor point being beyond said shaft, andincluding stop means for preventing said spring from advancing saidlever beyond said upper position and said lower position respectively.

2. An attachment according to claim I, in which said spring is a coilspring.

3. An attachment according to claim 2, in which the bass and treblestrings of the piano are on two different levels, and in which saidshaft has two laterally spaced sections, said strip being secured to oneof said sections of the shaft. and another flexible strip secured to theother section of the shaft to rotate with the shaft.

1. An attachment for modifying the tones of a grand piano, comprising: ashaft; bracket means for rotatably mounted said shaft in a horizontalposition under the strings of a piano; a flexible strip secured on saidshaft to rotate with the shaft; linkage means operatively connected tosaid shaft to rotate said strip between an upper position and a lowerposition, said strip being disposed between the hammers and strings ofthe piano in said upper position for modifying the tone of the piano,and being disposed out of the path of movement of the hammers in saidlower position so that the piano has its normal resonant tone; saidlinkage means comprising a link extending forwardly through a front wallof the piano and terminating above the keys of the piano, and a handleon the end of the link at its forward end such that a player of thepiano can move said link forwardly and rearwardly axially forsElectively disposing said strip in either one of the lower and upperpositions respectively; said strip being formed of a flexible materialhaving cutouts defining individual flexible fingers which are disposedadjacent to the strings respectively when said strip is in the upperposition such that the tone produced by the striking of any one hammeragainst any one string is modified due to the interposition of one ofsaid fingers therebetween; each finger having a free end and carrying onsaid free end a rigid clip having a felt member on its undersidedisposed to be struck by a hammer while the clip is striking the stringas a result of he hammer striking action, such that the modified tonesounds like that of a harpsichord; and in which said linkage meansincludes additionally a lever fixedly attached to said shaft andpivotably attached to said link at about the lever''s distal end; saidattachment further including a spring attached at one end of the springto an attaching means at a point about adjacent the pivoting end of saidlever, and attached at an opposite spring end of a fixed structure ofsaid piano at a spring anchor point located along an imaginary axisextending transversely through said shaft from a position of said distalend when intermediate between lever positions for said upper positionand said lower position, said anchor point being beyond said shaft, andincluding stop means for preventing said spring from advancing saidlever beyond said upper position and said lower position respectively.2. An attachment according to claim 1, in which said spring is a coilspring.
 3. An attachment according to claim 2, in which the bass andtreble strings of the piano are on two different levels, and in whichsaid shaft has two laterally spaced sections, said strip being securedto one of said sections of the shaft, and another flexible strip securedto the other section of the shaft to rotate with the shaft.